Improvement in oars



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

SAMUEL W. FRANCIS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. Y

IMPROVEM ENT IN OARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 69,983, dated October 22, 1867.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL W. FRANcIs, of New York, have invented a new and Improved Oar for Row-Boats, which will enable the rower to sit facing the bow of the boat while rowing, thus avoiding the necessity of a rudder; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to tbeletters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in an ordinary oar divided into two pieces, con nected by strips or bands of iron, brass, or other metal, playing on a slot and turning on stationary pins.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I will describe it as follows:

Supposing it to be an oar already made that is to be altered to my principle, I cut it at the proper point of leverage, and then attach4 the two parts by the levers AA, (with or without a collan) playing into the slot B by means of a slot pin, O, which should have sufficient play in a slot long enough to allow the blade of the oar to lie parallel with and close against the boat at pleasure. A roller on the slotpin G would facilitate its action. I) D are pivots, on which the lever ends of the oar play when in motion horizontally, and are fixed in a swivel, E, made of wood or ynnetal of any convenient shape. 'Ihis swivel is attached to the gunwale of the boat Gby means of a rocker, F, and gives the oblique motion to the oar.

A feathering motion can be obtained by a ball-and-socket or other swivel joint added.

In order to give strength and power to the leverage the long end of the oar should have straps of iron or other metal, H H, attached. J represents the oar at feather. K is the blade of the oar; L, the handle.

The motioniof the body of the rcwer, when facing the bow of the boat, is an additional assistance to its propulsion.

What I claim, and desire to secure Letv ters Patent for, is

An oar constructed substantially as described, with the combination of devices used 

